Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
APN Newspapers Pty Ltd and its related bodies corporate (APN) respect your right to privacy. We are sensitive to the concerns that our clients, customers and online users may have with regards to the confidentiality, security and use of their personal information, and would like to reassure you of our position on this matter. The purpose of this Privacy Statement is to tell you what type of information we collect, how we may use that information, whether we disclose it to anyone, and the opportunities you have to access and correct the information we hold.
We encourage you to check the APN Privacy Statement regularly as this Privacy Statement may change from time to time. If you have any suggestions or concerns that are not addressed in this Privacy Statement, please contact us.
Please take some time to read through this statement and understand our position on privacy, by clicking the links below:
- Our commitment to privacy
- Personal information we collect
- How we use your information
- Opting in or out
- Is your Personal Information shared with anybody outside of APN?
- Access and correction
- How secure is your information?
- Contact us
- Disclaimer
Our commitment to privacy
Aside from the contents of this statement, the conduct of APN is governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and in particular the National Privacy Principles.
APN subscribes to the Statement of Privacy Principles of the Australian Press Council. For more information, please click here
Personal information we collect
When submitting information to APN, including through our websites, we will collect details such as your name, email, phone number and in some instances, your financial information, including credit card information. Some of this information is essential for us to be able to identify accurately who is using the service so that we may be able to respond to your requests and, as such, is indicated by mandatory fields. Mandatory information requirements are clearly identified and are denoted by an asterisk (*). You will also be prompted when submitting a form if mandatory data has not been completed. Other types of information are collected to help us provide better services. Information of this type is optional – you need only fill it in if you wish to do so.
In general, you may be asked to provide APN with personal information when you:
- Register with a website and/or send us your comments, suggestions or other information
- Report a technical problem
- Request sales and advertising information
- Enter a competition or event
- Order products or services using our website.
APN may also collect non-personal information, such as your IP address or your browsing patterns, by using cookies on its website. Cookies are pieces of information that a website can transfer to an individual's computer hard drive for tracking user navigation and customising site information to further improve the user experience. Cookies can make using APN's website easier; for example by storing information about your preferences on a particular website. The use of cookies is an industry standard and you'll find most major websites use them. Typically, cookies involve the assigning of a unique number to the visitor and the information collected through cookies is on an aggregate and anonymous basis. One simple way to prevent the use of cookies is to activate the facility which is available in most web browsers that enables the user to deny or accept cookies.
We also collect personal information in the normal course of business including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. This information is collected through meetings, phone calls, letters, fax, email, as well as commercial agreements, documents and dealings. This information is subject to all the National Privacy Principles and is only used for the purpose for which it was provided. Generally this is limited to the transaction of general business.
APN will not collect sensitive information revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, or details of health, disability or sexual activity or orientation unless:
a) the subject of the information has consented; or
b) the collection is required or specifically authorised by law; or
c) the collection is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of any individual, where the subject of the information is physically or legally incapable of giving consent; or
d) the collection is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.
However, if we do, it will usually be for the purposes of providing our goods and services and if the law requires us to, we will seek your consent to collect it.
How we use your information
Your information will only be used for the purpose for which it is collected and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection, and we will not disclose it without your consent. APN generally uses personal information, and you consent to us using your personal information, to:
a) provide you with products or services you have requested;
b) conduct promotions or competitions;
c) help APN manage and enhance its services;
d) communicate with you; or
e) send you ongoing information and promotional material about opportunities, services and products (relating to our business or a third party business) in which APN believes you may be interested.
The information and feedback you provide through our website may be used to identify ways of improving the site and how we can make it more effective for your use.
Opting in or out
At the point we collect information from you, you may be asked to "opt in" to consent to us using or disclosing your personal information other than in accordance with this policy or any applicable law. For example, you may be asked to opt-in to receive further information or communications from our advertisers and supporters.
You will generally be given the opportunity to "opt out" from receiving communications from us or from third parties that send communications to you in accordance with this policy.
If you receive communications purporting to be connected with us or our services that you believe have been sent to you other than in accordance with this policy, or in breach of any law, please contact us.
Any personal information collected through the website is contained and access is restricted to the authorised personnel of APN, and contractors responsible for the maintenance of the website.
Your information may be shared with third parties as explained below. Other than the third party disclosures described below, APN does not share your personal information with other third parties unless: (a) you are informed about such sharing when you submit personal information to us; (b) you consent to such sharing; or (c) the National Privacy Principles, including the cases outlined in Principle 2.1(e), allow such sharing.
Related Bodies Corporate
We may share information about you with related bodies corporate in Australia and New Zealand so we can provide you with the products and services you request and bring you information about products and services we offer. Information shared with our related bodies corporate will be collected, used, disclosed and stored in accordance with this Privacy Statement.
Companies who provide Services to us
In some cases we contract with other companies or individuals to provide services for us. Examples of these may include electronic communications, deliveries, mailouts, market research, public relations, debt collection agencies, legal advisors, auditors etc. We provide them only with such information about you as they need to perform their services and we impose strict requirements of security and confidentiality on them in how they handle your personal information. We make it very clear that they are not permitted to use information about you for any other purpose except to perform the services we have asked them to provide.
Credit Reporting
Credit information about you may be obtained from and provided to credit reporting agencies in accordance with applicable legislation.
Access and correction
Where APN holds personal information about you, we will provide you with access to the information on request. There are some exceptions to this set out in the Privacy Act. We may charge a fee to cover the costs of meeting your request.
Where providing access would reveal evaluative information generated within APN in connection with a commercially sensitive decision-making process, APN may give you an explanation for the decision, rather than direct access to the information.
If APN holds personal information about you and you are able to establish that the information is not accurate, complete and up-to-date, we will take reasonable steps to correct the information so that it is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If we disagree with you about whether the information is accurate, correct and up-to-date, and you ask us to associate with the information a statement claiming that the information is not accurate, complete or up-to-date, we will take reasonable steps to do so.
How secure is your information?
Any personal information that you submit to our website is held with the strictest confidence. This information is securely stored and access is restricted to authorised personnel of APN and its related bodies corporate and contractors as described above, ensuring that your personal information is protected and safeguarded.
Any personal information supplied by other means will also be held in the strictest confidence. The information is securely stored and can only be accessed by authorised personnel of APN.
All personal information will be de-identified where possible.
Contact us
If you have any questions or comments on this Privacy Statement, if you would like access or correct your personal information, if you would like a free hard copy of the Privacy Statement, or if you would like to make a complaint regarding your privacy, then please contact the Privacy Officer at:
Privacy Officer
APN Newspapers Pty Ltd
PO Box 1578
Milton QLD 4558
Phone: 1300 130 590
Fax: (07) 3327 3307
Phone: 1300 130 590
Fax: (07) 5456 6920
Email: privacyofficer@apn.co.nz
APN takes complaints about breaches of the National Privacy Principles seriously and will investigate any complaint we receive.
Disclaimer
APN acknowledges that you will click-through to third party sites from our sites, and thus recommends that you refer to the privacy statement of the sites you visit. APN’s Privacy Statement is applicable for APN sites only and assumes no responsibility for information and content of third party sites.
